Looking For: Easy and Portable Breakfast Recipes

Liz is looking for quick, portable breakfast ideas. She writes: I'm an elementary school teacher, and I'm always rushing out of the house in order to get into school early to do lesson planning. Since the kids are super-energetic and eager, I definitely need to eat something in the morning to keep up with them. I used to buy a muffin or granola bar on the way, but that's getting expensive. I'm looking for some good quick-breakfast recipes.

We have some ideas for Liz. Read on for a gallery of breakfast recipes, and add your own ideas too!

Here are a few more criteria from Liz: It needs to be something that I can make in big quantities once a week or so and have on hand as I run out the door. It should also be fairly portable, unlike yogurt, so I can eat either as I walk to work or at my desk. And, of course, healthy and delicious would be ideal!

Is this an impossible dream? Or could I possibly get 15 more minutes of real dreaming in a day?

This isn't impossible at all, Liz! We have a few ideas here (click through the gallery above to see which looks most appetizing), and the readers will pitch in with more great ideas.

Most of these are breads or muffins; realistically, that's the easiest thing to make ahead and pack later. But we also think that most quiches and frittatas are great for this too. You can cut them up and wrap each piece individually, then refrigerate or freeze for quick morning consumption.

1. Zucchini Muffins - We like to pack our zucchini muffins with other textures and flavors, too: a handful of white raisins, some walnuts, a quarter cup of flax seeds or oat bran, maybe some extra grated carrots. We also really like this recipe from Simply Recipes, which uses oil or melted butter and doesn't require a mixer.

2. Homemade English Muffins - Sara Kate's recipe is whole wheat, and delicious in the mornings. Just pop in the toaster, put on some butter (or peanut butter, for a protein boost) and eat on your way out the door.

3. Zucchini and Bacon Frittata - This frittata is just as good one, two, or even three days after baking. You can cut it into wedges and wrap them individually for a quick grab and go. It's sturdy enough to eat with your hands, too.

5. Overnight Oatmeal with Apricots and Buttermilk - If you have just a little more time, try steel-cut oatmeal! This oatmeal cooks with apricots and buttermilk overnight in the Crock-Pot. It makes a lot, and it's just as delicious reheated. If you have just five minutes to sit down with a bowl of oatmeal, these creamy, pearly oats will make it worth your time.